Live blog: Rutgers vs. Seton Hall

Saed Hindash/The Star-LedgerSeton Hall and forward Jeff Robinson (right) will be looking to once again come out on top over in-state rival Rutgers.

With Rutgers hosting Seton Hall for Senior Night at the RAC and it being the final regular-season meeting between the in-state rivals, Star-Ledger college basketball writers Brendan Prunty and Tom Luicci will be keeping you up-to-date with the latest. Keep refreshing for updates:

9:09 p.m. -- Seton Hall wins 85-74 and sweeps the regular season series. Monster game for Herb Pope. Pirates are now 17-11 overall, 8-9 in the Big East. Rutgers falls to 15-15 overall and 5-12 in the league. By the way, this was the most sparsely-attended Rutgers-Seton Hall game in a while.

9:00 p.m. -- Seton Hall was ferocious on the offensive glass. Rutgers needs to go to Barnes and Nobles and buy "Boxing Out for Dummies." This is basic basketball and the Knights failed it miserably.

8:55 p.m. -- That should do it for the Pirates -- and in fitting style. Hazell missed a baseline drive but Pope was there to clean up with an offensive rebound and putback. Seton Hall has a 73-63 lead with 1:59 to play.

8:50 p.m. -- Seton Hall has a 67-62 lead with 3:27 to play.

8:45 p.m. -- Hazell throws up a 3-point brick. No matter. Robinson cleans up with an uncontested offensive rebound. The next time Rutgers boxes out this game will be the first time.

8:38 p.m. -- Potential problem for the Pirates. Jordan Theordore picks up his 4th personal with 8:31 to play.

8:35 p.m. -- Looks like Hazell is fine. Has two baskets and a 3-pointer in Seton Hall's last four trips. Timeout Rutgers at 9:18 with the Pirates holding a 61-52 lead.

8:30 p.m. -- Hazell is back but he still has just 2 points with 11:09 to play.

8:23 p.m. -- Hard foul by Herb Pope on a Mike Rosario drive, but it was just part of the game. Pope extended a hand to help up Rosario. 50-49 Seton Hall with 12:34 to go.

8:18 p.m. -- Here we go. Jeff Robinson sent Ndiaye flying to the floor on a box out and "H" had to be restrained by Dane Miller from going after Robinson.Time out now so cooler heads can prevail.

8:15 p.m. -- Theodore went for Rosario's pump fake and flattened him.

8:12 p.m. -- They just announced Mike Rosario as the 38th player in Rutgers history to top 1,000 points. It took him 922 shots.

8:10 p.m. -- Hazell may have gone to the bench because the cut on his hand opened up again. Doesn't matter the way Seton Hall is hitting the offensive glass. Hazell showed the trainer something on his hand.

8:05 p.m. -- Finally, a shot from Mike Rosario that doesn't rate a 10 from the Russian judge for degree of difficulty.

7:50 p.m. - HALFTIME: Seton Hall 33, Rutgers 29
Two things are crystal clear after the first half at the RAC.

One: The officiating crew is letting both sides play, not calling every little bump and poke that goes on. And two: Herb Pope is having a monster first half.

The Pirates center has been dominant during the first half, scoring 18 points, that's the most points Pope has scoring since having 19 in the win over Pittsburgh. For Rutgers, both Hamady Ndiaye and Mike Coburn have six points.

7:41 p.m. (BP) - Rutgers is just letting Pope get the ball with clean looks on nearly every possession. Since he's such a deft passer, when the Scarlet Knights' defense collapses on him, he's dishing it off to Robinson. 30-25 Seton Hall with under 3 to play.

7:20 p.m. (BP) - Lots of heavyweights in the building tonight. Among them former Gov. Richard Codey, former Rutgers hoops stars Mike Dabney and Roy Hinson. Also, former Rutgers football stars Jason McCourty (Titans) and future NFL draft pick Devin.

7:12 p.m. (BP) - Just an observation: Rutgers is playing with a lot of energy and intensity right now, but they are leaving Herb Pope open a lot from the mid-range area. He has a nice touch from that range.

6:40 p.m. (TL) - Roy Hinson, who holds Rutgers' school record for blocked shots — which Hamady Ndiaye is nine shy of tying — is sitting courtside for Thursday. "I'm good with it," Hinson, who now works for the NBA Players Association. "Records are made to be broken."

6:30 p.m. (BP) - Just spoke with the parents of Rutgers' lone senior Hamady Ndiaye. Mazide and Henriette Ndiaye made the nearly-4,000 mile journey to see their son for Senior Night. This will be Mazide's third time seeing his son play, but for Ndiaye's mother it will be her first time watching him play.

"We are over-surprised," Mazide Ndiaye said.

There are cut-outs of Ndiaye's face on every seat in the RAC and students in the student section have red t-shirts with a big block 'H' in the colors of the Senegalese flag.